SUMMER IN SANTA MONICA
Chapter One
Jack looked at his mother. He had just been
arrested. Now he was going to live with his dad and stepfamily in Santa Monica.
"I wish I didn't have to do this, but I
don't want a son that I can't trust," his mother, Danielle, told him.
"Mom, you act like I care that I'm
leaving," Jack said sarcastically.
"You should care, but I can't control
your feelings," she told him.
"Mom, how long am I going to be staying
there?" he asked her.
"For the summer, or until you can get
your act together," Danielle told him.
"Mother, listen to me. I can't stay with
Dad and Ruth and Rose, it's...never mind," Jack said, then ran upstairs.
"Jackie, go get your bags packed. You're
leaving on the red eye," Danielle said when she walked into his room.
"Fine, I'll go and you can forget about
me, you and Gary and Hannah. My family is falling apart," he said, then
got his suitcases.
"Jack..." she started.
"Get out!" he exclaimed.
They finally made it to the airport. When
they got there, the final call for Jack's flight was going and Jack left.
Three hours later, Jack got to Santa Monica,
California, where his father, stepmother, and stepsister were waiting for him.
"Hey Jack," his dad, Tom said.
"Whatever," Jack said.
"You know, this isn't any fun for me
either," Tom told him.
"Sure, and I believe you too," Jack
said.
"Listen, you're here for the summer, so
you better try to enjoy it," his dad replied.
"Fine, let's just get home," Jack
said.
"Oh, I'm sure you remember your
stepmother, Ruth," his dad told him.
"Hi, Jack," Ruth said, shaking his
hand.
"I remember you," Jack said.
"And your stepsister, Rose," Ruth
said.
"I don't want to talk to him," Rose
said, standing behind Tom.
"Just say hi to him," Tom told her.
"Hi. Welcome to my pathetic life,"
Rose said.
"Join the club," Jack said.
"Happy Mom?" Rose asked.
"Overjoyed," Ruth said.
Then they went home. It was going to be one
heck of a summer, with Jack and Rose together.